Yphine
Yphine is the deity worshipped by adherents of the Doctrine of Frost. She is said to be a catfolk woman of unparalleled beauty and majesty, Her flesh True Ice and Her eyes as fire. She is said to be an intelligent and manipulative goddess, always scheming and plotting. It is said in the Doctrine that She holds back the winter only so that the world She eventually buries in ice will have someone around to worship Her. It is said that She can take any shape so long as She is composed of ice, and Her mastery of ice magic is unmatched. She is the paragon all women should aspire to be, and all men should seek to serve. She is also said to be romantically involved with Tzultetep, though neither is particularly faithful to the pairing. Adherents of Yphine both rejoice and fear her coming. Other Deities/Pantheons While the Doctrine is technically monotheistic (in that worship must be given only to Yphine) it does sometimes acknowledge the existence of other deities. Tzultetep According to the Doctrine, Tzultetep is the only deity Yphine is actually fond of. It is said that in the eternal winter, He will serve an honorable position as Yphine's consort for eternity, and the Dragon Cult will be allowed to worship Him. This is an idea that is utterly unprecedented in the faith, as it otherwise states that all other faiths will be wiped out by the Winter. It's also unprecedented in that their own reduction of Yphine is not considered an insult. "The Dragon Cult is incorrect, not wrong. There's a difference. They acknowledge her strength, they simply think Tzultetep more worthy of praise." - Marvella Most stories about Tzultetep paint Him as handsome, clever, amazingly powerful, and wrapped thoroughly around Yphine's finger. The feeling is mutual in some tales, and while the Doctrine is largely vague about their relationship, many heretical tales have been told of the two's exploit'. Yphine is the more powerful mage of the two, but Tzultetep's power over flame is unquestioned. Unofficially, Yphine and Tzultetep are held up as the ideal woman and man, respectively, although bringing this up to an actual priest of the Doctrine will result in a priest who dies of laughter. What little the Doctrine directly addresses has to do with the two's various bets and deals, dalliances with other dieties and mortals (there's one tale where Tzultetep eats a man for looking at Yphine for too long) and the occasional prophecy of a child, said to be the herald of their final coming. In recent years, however, Tzultetep and Yphine's relationship has grown decidedly more hostile. While the two are still allied and considered lovers, the two are at odds in far more stories in modern times than at any time since their alliance was forged. Tzultetep appears to be angry that Yphine has allowed even more mortals access to ice magic (while still trying to keep his limited to the Dragon Cult) and Yphine has grown angry with his consistent efforts to usurp her authority. The Lord of Fire The Lord of Fire is considered to be a pathetic shadow of His former self, burning to ash from His own power. However, like an old uncle on His deathbed, the Doctrine demands respect for the dying god until He has finally passed. In Doctrine tales, however, the Lord of Fire is painted as a tyrannical monster that Yphine utterly despises. Part of the reason for the Eternal winter, it is said, is to snuff out whatever dieing embers are left of His faith. Radurja During Marvella's reign, the Doctrine has tolerated Radurja. However, their reduction of Yphine's position is considered an insult. Kina Kina is never mentioned in the actual Doctrine texts, but Her existence is widely acknowledged in various supplementary materials as his Her role in the coming winter. She and Yphine have an antagonistic but respectful relationship, often appearing as antiheroes in tales focusing on each other. While Yphine is considered the more powerful of the two, Kina is considered the more level-headed. The two are known in myth for fierce rivalries and strange bets, and for mutually enjoying the suffering of men who have sinned. In addition, many scholars believe that Kina's Year of Skulls will take place during the early parts of the winter, since it is said Her coming would block out the sun. This is, of course, when Kina is considered a goddess at all. More often, Kina is considered a force of nature. She simply is. Some (heretics) believe that this is because Yphine is incapable of stopping such a creature, but true faithful believe that Kina has a role to play still: Kina will be the judge of the dead and damned in the eternal paradise that awaits after the Eternal winter. The Silver Lady The Silver Lady is a strange part of Doctrine lore. Most of the other dieties, even Kina, have clear goals and objectives that are stated plainly. Usually, they have at least one direct meeting with Yphine herself. However, the Silver Lady is a diety that never speaks, communicates or otherwise interacts with anyone. Stories she takes place in usually involve her presence alone, but never delves into her thoughts or goals. As such, it is difficult to tell what she will ever do or even her relationship with Yphine. Strangely, her exact level of power is also incredibly vague. What is abundantly clear is that the Silver Lady avoids direct interference whenever possible. The Silver Lady is more of a presence than a physical being. When other dieties reference her at all, they speak of her as a wild card - someone impossible to pin down or predict. As such, if pressed, the Silver Lady is considered the Doctrine's trickster goddess. Syvine Syvine is seen as an aspect of Yphine and recognised by such by the Doctrine of Frost and the Warriors of Syvine. References Category:Deities